More Than $45 Million in Data-Center Ads Pushes AI Infrastructure Into Midterms

The infrastructure behind the AI boom is now a campaign issue. Candidates and outside groups spent more than $45 million through August on ads mentioning data centers in 2026 gubernatorial, House and Senate races.

The political mechanism is straightforward: ads link the facilities to household electricity bills and tax breaks for developers. That turns an argument over AI infrastructure into a more familiar affordability and accountability message.

The concern crosses party lines. A June Reuters/Ipsos poll found 77% of Americans were concerned that data centers would increase electricity costs. Two-thirds of Democrats and half of Republicans said they would oppose a data center in their community.

About 164Ads mentioning data centers in August

Mentions rose from a handful in January to 62 in June, more than 110 in July and about 164 in August.

State races carry most of the spending

Gubernatorial contests account for about $32 million of the spending, compared with $8 million in House races and roughly $5.3 million in Senate races. Darrell M. West of the Brookings Institution said the federal government has little role in permitting new facilities, leaving governors under pressure from local opposition.

Georgia accounted for more than half of Republican spending and about 30% of total data-center ad spending. Its governor’s race led all contests with $12.8 million across nine ads. Republican-aligned groups spent more than $22 million overall, while Democratic-aligned groups spent more than $21 million.

The near-even spending totals conceal different tactics: Democrats ran 127 data-center ads, compared with 67 from Republicans, and spread their messages across more states and races.

Ohio tests the new attack line

Ohio Republican Senate candidate Jon Husted is the top negative target in this messaging. AdImpact counted about $2 million in ads attacking Husted, or roughly 72% of its tracked negative data-center messaging. Husted previously championed data centers as lieutenant governor and has since introduced legislation intended to protect ratepayers from higher electric rates associated with the facilities.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has called data centers a potential “sleeper issue” and warned that a Republican loss in Ohio could make politicians elsewhere wary of the technology industry. An anonymous Republican operative said party views vary, but characterized the most popular position as allowing centers that pay for their own energy. President Trump has instead urged states to keep building them, while acknowledging the industry needs public-relations help.